Tuesday

"What then? are we better [than they]? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.Their throat [is] an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps [is] under their lips:Whose mouth [is] full of cursing and bitterness:Their feet [are] swift to shed blood:Destruction and misery [are] in their ways:And the way of peace have they not known:There is no fear of God before their eyes."Romans 3 : 9-18Recently I was asked how I could be a Christian now and suffer no ill repercussions from the life I led before the Lord saved me and they further wanted to know if I realised I would sin again.

I hope my eyes did not bulge out of their sockets as far as I felt that they did upon being addressed thusly. =) Had I not made it clear that we are ALL sinful by nature?

Firstly, I'd like to make it very clear that just because someone has been saved, doesn't mean they are now somehow humanly perfect and will never sin again. I believe the above Scripture is a very clear picture of humanity without God's gracious gift of salvation and the merciful restraining hand of the Heavenly Father.

Ecclesiastes 7: 20 pretty much sums it up.

"For [there is] not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not."The word "just" in that verse comes from the Hebrew meaning "to be righteous" ; "justified."

So it's pretty plain to see that yes indeed, I will sin. Perhaps what a casual onlooker does not see are the tears of TRUE sorrow I shed when I do sin and fail my Heavenly Father and the work of ongoing God-given repentence going on in my life.

Certainly I strive to live my life according to what the Bible teaches. Yet, sadly - heart breakingly so - yes, I will sin again. The difference is, my friend, I take no glory in my sin. My fist is not being waved in the air at The ONLY true and Sovereign God, and THANKFULLY the Lord does forgive me when I fail Him.

Does this mean I go out and do "bad things" on purpose? No. I don't want to do things that come between myself and my Lord. I don't like the distance of separation sin brings between me and my Saviour! It's most grievious!!

However, I would also like to point out:

Isaiah 64:6"But we are all as an unclean [thing], and all our righteousnesses [are] as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."How thankful I am that the Lord ever draws His own to Himself, chastises us when we have done wrong, forgives us, and keeps us ever near to Him!

With regard to the question regarding ill repercussions in my life from my past way of living, I can attest that these do exist. There are some things we do in our lifetimes we will never forget.

However, when these things spring to mind, rather than wallow in them, the true repenter falls on their face before God begging for grace and I can assure you, He NEVER fails to give it!